The present invention relates generally to casting apparatus and more particularly to a device for pouring casting material into molds arranged along a casting line whereby a replaceable tilting pouring ladle provided with a closable bottom outlet is mounted for movement transversely to the casting line.
In known casting machines of the type to which the present invention relates, the ladle is normally arranged in an upper car moving on rollers in a direction extending perpendicularly to the casting line. The upper car moves upon a lower car traveling along the casting line. In structures of these types presently known, the lower car is designed as a trestle and projects a substantial distance on both sides of the casting line, thereby requiring a good deal of space. Additionally, the lower car, as well as the upper car which rolls back and forth upon the lower car and which has the ladle mounted thereon, are both very heavy and rather elaborate in their construction.
Because of the great size and outer dimensions both of the upper and of the lower car, it has not been heretofore possible to charge the ladles of known casting apparatus with intermediate vessels suspended upon crane hooks.
If measuring devices are used for effecting dosed pouring of the casting material wherein it is necessary to commence from the respective filling weight of the ladle, the weighing devices utilized have tended to be very elaborate because several pressure gauges and a parallel guide for the ladle have been required wherein the ladle rests in two pivot bearings and a support.
In practice it has also been found that weight determinations have been too inaccurate with these known measuring devices, particularly due to vibrations of the entire machine thereby tending to impede casting with automatic dosing.
The present invention is intended toward providing a solution of the problems arising with the prior art devices, and the invention is particularly directed to the provision of a traveling casting machine which requires less space then presently known models, which can be placed laterally adjacent casting lines of any design, and which may also be supplied from an intermediate ladle moving on the floor of a foundry facility with known conventional means being utilized independent of a crane, since the need for upper and lower cars may be eliminated.